Shadowpact
by StrongStyleFiction
Summary: When an ancient army of nightmares threatens the Earth, the Shadowpact must form. An epic exploration into the magical side of the DC Universe, stretching across not only centuries but the cosmos as well. When Morgaine Le Fey makes a deal with Aries, a sequence of events are unleashed that will bring a terrifying evil to Earth and set the stage for heroes to rise.


England, 947 AD

The blood of a hundred sacrifices boiled in the cauldron as flames licked and whipped out from the fire beneath it. The orange glow of the flames reflected off of Morgaine Le Fey's golden mask. Her arms were raised over her head and her voice echoed through the pits and caverns of her subterranean lair.

"Aries! God of War! I summon you! Do you accept my offering?"

The flames erupted into a tower of fire, engulfing the cauldron that Morgaine stood in front of. The flames twisted and spiraled upwards, turned black and then rescinded down to the bottom of the cauldron. There was a long silence, before the echoes of footsteps could be heard approaching from behind. Morgaine turned suddenly and saw Aries, the God of War, approach.

"The blood of a hundred enemies is a noble sacrifice, Morgaine Le Fey. What is it that you want of me?"

"An army to conquer Camelot," Morgaine said. "To give my son, Mordred, the throne that he deserves. The crown that he was born to wear."

"Is your hatred of Merlin and Arthur so deep? You would summon a god who wants only to watch the mortal world drown in its own blood?"

"My son is a conquerer, Aries. If it is war and bloodshed that you want, he'll race his army across the world and set it aflame. All who survive will be his slaves and the decimated world will be his to rule. For this, we will wage war with the world in your honor."

Aries smirked. He walked over to the cauldron and dipped two of his fingers into the boiling blood. After tasting the blood, he grinned and nodded. "Very well," he said. "You shall have your army. I will summon an invincible force that will strike terror into the heart of every living thing. It will be a gathering of savage, blood thirsty man-beasts. However, Camelot is guarded by more than walls and moat."

"Merlin," Morgaine hissed.

"And the source that powers him," Aries continued.

"The Grail."

"Yes," Aries replied. "King Arthur's so called Holy Grail, kept in the heart of Camelot. With Merlin's power, it makes Camelot's walls impenetrable by even the strongest magic. Cunning will be required in facilitating the fall of Camelot."

Morgaine laughed, "I have an idea."

"You have blood on your hands."

Jason looked down and saw that his hands still had a little blood on them from the deer that he shot an hour ago. "I must have not washed them enough," he said.

Percival laughed and slapped Jason on the back. "Be careful, Jason, or else you might stain them permanently."

Jason smiled and made his way over to the pond. He dropped to his knees and plunged them into the cold water. As he washed his hands, Jason looked up at the trees that swayed in the breeze. It was such a beautiful day, nothing could ruin it. A full day's hunting in the King's forest with one of the very knights that he idolized so much. It was almost a perfect day.

"We should put our spoils on our horses and set back for Camelot now," Percival said. "Night will be coming and with it the wolves."

"Of course," Jason replied. "You go on ahead and I'll catch up as soon as I finish washing."

Percival smiled. "Alright, but don't be too late. Merlin has ordered that the gates of Camelot are not to open for anyone after dark, friend or foe."

"Why is that?"

"He senses that Morgaine Le Fey is up to her usual treachery. Be on the look out and hurry along, Jason. Whenever Merlin grows anxious, foul things tend to crawl out of the dark." Percival climbed onto his horse, his slain deer draped across the rear. "It is a beautiful day, but I have seen even better days that were followed by loathsome nights. See you back at Camelot."

The horse took off, carrying Percival and his day's trophy back towards Camelot, leaving Jason behind to wash his hands. After his hands were clean, Jason looked up from the pond and saw a ten point, white stag standing on the other side of the water. His breath caught in his throat, Jason knew that if he could take it, it would impress King Arthur and the other Knights of the Round Table.

Jason stood slowly and crept back towards his horse, where his bow and arrows were. The white stag lowered its head to drink from the pond. Quietly and carefully, Jason took his bow and a single arrow and notched it. Refusing to even breathe for fear of noise, he raised the bow and took aim at the creature, but the white stag startled suddenly and took off into the trees.

Cursing to himself, Jason climbed up onto his horse and took after it. He chased it through the trees, deeper into the forest than he had ever been before. Paying no attention of his surroundings or which direction he was heading, Jason chased the white stag in blind ambition. The forest quickly became dense with trees, tall and slender. The day had grown dark and an eerie fog was about. Jason halted his horse and looked around.

The white stag was gone, he had lost it as well as his bearings. Jason dismounted his horse and tried to get a sense of where he was, or which direction was which. The sun was hidden by the canopy of leaves that ceilinged the forest. Only a few patches of sky broke through the trees and that was slowly turning into a dusky red.

Night was coming and Jason was lost in the forest. The gates of Camelot would be locked by the time he got back and they would not let him in under Merlin's orders. He would have to find a place to rest for the night and then try to find his way back in the morning. At least he had a deer to cook.

The howling of distant wolves startled Jason's horse. It reared and whined. Jason tried to grab the reigns to calm it down, but the horse bolted away from him, disappearing into the trees with the slain deer on its back. Jason only had his bow and a single arrow, as well as his sword that was sheathed on his belt. Cursing to himself again, Jason looked around the dense forest once again.

There was a feint sound moving between the trees, a woman singing. Jason stood perfectly still and listened as carefully as he could. The singing became clearer as did the direction it was coming from. With a sigh of relief, Jason followed the singing through the trees until he came to a small cottage in the dark of the forest.

The smell of cooking ham filled his nostrils as he approached. A warm light, spilled from the windows as the night darkened around him. At the door stood the most beautiful woman that Jason had ever seen. He did not recognize her as Camelot's sworn enemy, Morgaine Le Frey. All he saw was a woman, inviting him inside with her smile and charms. "Come to me, brave knight," she beckoned. Enchanted, Jason dropped his bow and arrow and entered the cottage.

War raged. Blood spilled across a dozen fields as the army of nightmares marched across the land, moving towards Camelot. When they reached it, they were met with the most fearsome resistance that King Arthur and his knights could summon. A siege was laid which Morgaine Le Fey watched from atop of a hill, her son, Mordred, beside her.

"Am I King yet, Mother?"

"Soon, my darling."

Merlin stood on the battlements as the nightmares snarled and howled from across the moat. Three days of night and storm had passed since their arrival, with no sun or daylight in that time. Rain fell and thunder roared as lightning raced across the sky. The archers lined the walls and rained arrows upon the dark army with little effect. Merlin watched in silence, looking across the horde of men-like beasts to the hill where Morgaine was camped.

Rushing up the steps in full armor, Percival came to halt beside Merlin. "The King has fallen ill, he lies in bed in a strange fever. I thought the Grail was supposed to protect us from evil magic."

"It was not magic," Merlin replied. "It was poison."

"Poison? Who would poison the king? How?"

"We have enemies within these walls," Merlin said. "Whom, I do not know."

"All is lost then?" Percival yelled. "Is there nothing that we can do to stop this darkness?"

Merlin turned towards Percival and put his hand on the knight's shoulder. "You can fight and bid me time. There is something that I must do."

"The drawbridge is opening!" a soldier shouted.

"Go and defend the bridge," Merlin ordered. "I can stop this, Percival, but I need time. You must hold the bridge or all is lost."

"I'll hold it until my very last breath," Percival said.

Percival and a gathering of soldiers raced down the steps and through the castle to hold the horde at the bridge. From the battlements, Merlin watched as the steel clashed with the crude, iron weapons of the nightmare horde. Never before had the wizard felt so defeated and helpless. "Who has done this?"

"Search your mind and you shall find your answer," a voice said from behind.

Merlin turned and saw a man dressed in blue with white hair standing on the battlement. "You have come to counsel me in my darkest time, stranger."

"The Stranger comes, when the Stranger is needed."

"They say you are Judas Iscariot, betrayer of Christ."

"Don't be idiotic," the Stranger replied. "My purpose is far older and much grander than such petty things. Judas died with his silver."

"Where did this army come from?"

"Aries."

Merlin sighed. "So Morgaine made a pact with him. How am I to counter such an alliance?"

"With a pact of your own," the Stranger answered. "Seek the one who lowered the drawbridge, the one who must atone for his betrayal with a thousand years of service."

Merlin turned and looked back down at the battle, understanding. He watched Percival and his men died fighting against the horde, desperately trying to push them back, only to fail. It was suddenly clear, Merlin knew what he had to do.

Just inside the drawbridge, the battle was still raging. There were only a few knights left, stabbing and slashing at the beastly invaders. Jason watched from the shadows as each of them were cut down and butchered, their blood sprayed across the stone floor of Camelot. As Morgaine Le Fey entered Camelot with her son, Mordred, all who were still alive knew that it was the day that evil had triumphed.

Stumbling out of the shadows, Jason dropped to his knees in front of Morgaine. "I have done everything you have asked, my love," he said. "I have poisoned the king and opened the gates, all for you. All for the woman that I love."

Morgaine smiled and stroked Jason's cheek with her slender hand. "You have done well, brave knight," she said. "Take your reward now, have a kiss, brave knight."

Bending down, Morgaine kissed Jason's lips. For a single moment, he felt the greatest of bliss before it turned into pain and horror. Jason choked and coughed, his throat clenching itself tight as his skin turned a palish blue. "What have you done?" he asked, looking up at Morgaine from the bloody floor.

"Disposed of someone who is no longer useful to me," Morgaine answered cruelly. "I'm afraid your death will be quite painful, but you have my gratitude for aiding my son's claiming of the throne."

"No!"

Jason tried to stand and draw his sword but he could not. His legs gave out from under him and he collapsed the floor, choking and dying. Morgaine took Mordred by the hand and led him into the castle, ready to seize the throne. Jason felt the life being squeezed out of him. He watched in horror as the nightmare horde ravaged and plundered the sacred walls of Camelot. "What have I done?" he asked in sudden realization.

"Cursed the world in darkness," Merlin answered.

Rolling onto his back, Jason saw that Merlin was standing over him. Tears fell down his face. "I'm sorry, Merlin. I was weak. She enchanted me."

"You were weak," Merlin replied. "Look at you, covered in the blood of your allies, your sworn brotherhood. Betrayer! I curse you to walk the earth forever, I bind your soul to demon Etrigan. You will be bonded together, so that you may atone for you heinous sins of this black day!"

"No! Have mercy, Merlin. I beg you, have mercy!"

"Etrigan I summon you! Bind with this cursed soul to walk the earth with him for a thousand years and more!"

Jason felt hellfire fill his chest and lurched and screamed from the pain. He felt his very soul burn as something hellish fused with it. "Merlin, what have you done to me?"

"What was necessary."

"Why waste your magic on me? Why not strike down Morgaine?"

"I already have," Merlin replied. "Stand and walk with me, Jason of the Blood."

Feeling the pain dull, Jason climbed to his feet and staggered. Camelot was eerily silent now, something was amiss. He followed Merlin into the great hall where Arthur's throne sat. The nightmare army had turned to stone, along with Morgaine and Mordred. "You turned them all to stone," he stammered.

"Yes, Jason. Soon, Camelot will disappear into the mist along with Morgaine and her nightmare army."

"What of Arthur?"

Merlin stopped and lowered his head. "Dead."

"You should have let me die, Merlin. You should have let me burn in Hell for what I have done."

"Yes, I should have. However, I am in need of you. The world must be protected from the evil that threatens it at all costs. As vile as your sins are, you will have over a thousand years to atone for them. Perhaps, you will even save your soul and find redemption."

"How?"

"Follow me," Merlin ordered.

The chamber door swung open. Merlin walked in first with Jason stumbling behind him. Tired and worn, Merlin sat on a stool in the corner. Jason didn't even notice. His eyes were wide and transfixed on what he thought he would never see.

"Is that it? Merlin, is that the Holy Grail?"

Merlin scoffed. "Holy Grail, ha! Arthur was a good man, but his mind was a narrow one at times. That was a fairy tale that I told him so that he would keep it secured. The truth is much more fantastic than that. It was found by the Magi in the deserts of Kahndaq. It had fallen from the skies in a green flame. It is said to be a weapon from a war that was waged in the heavens. Inside was a feint, green glow that slowly died. It's not a grail, Jason. It's a lantern. They could never find a way to make it glow again."

"But it glows now," Jason said.

"That it does. What do you know of magic?"

"Nothing."

"All magic on Earth comes from a single source," Merlin explained. "In ancient times, before cities and civilization, when man hunted and lived in caves, a star fell to earth. It was the Rock of Eternity. The Rock of Eternity was carried by a wizard to what would become Kahndaq and hidden in the deepest of caves. The wizard learned the ways of magic by studying the Rock. During the reign of the Black Adam, the tyrant Teth-Adam attacked the Rock of Eternity in attempt to permanently steal its power. He managed to chip a single shard off of it, before he was defeated and imprisoned. Someone, it is not known who, placed that shard into the center of the green lantern and it glowed again, as brilliantly as it does now. Powered not by whatever cosmic force it did before, but by magic from the Rock of Eternity. If Morgaine or Aries or any force of evil gets their hands on this, they will be unstoppable. The green glow is willpower. Imagine this in the hands of someone as cruel and terrible as Morgaine Le Fey."

"It will be safe here, right? You said Camelot will vanish, won't this vanish with it?"

"My spell will only last a thousand years," Merlin continued. "I used all of my life force casting it. I'm dying, Jason. I won't survive the night. You must take it and the ring that accompanies it, and journey as far from this land as you can. In a thousand years, Camelot will return as will Morgaine Le Fey and her nightmare army. They and others will come looking for this power. You must guard it and ensure it does not fall into evil hands. Guard it, until it finds its champion."

Jason took the ring from Merlin and walked over to the green lantern. He lifted it off of its pedestal and gazed deep into its green glow. "Where will it find this champion?"

"I do not know," Merlin answered, his voice growing feint. "There will be someone out there that will choose, someone more worthy than any other."

Jason turned and saw that Merlin had died. He felt the demon in him snicker and turn. Cursed and immortal, Jason of the Blood fled Camelot, leaving it to vanish in the mist for a thousand years. During that time, he traveled all over Europe, keeping the lantern secret and safe. Than in 1620, he boarded the Mayflower and set sale across the Atlantic ocean for the New World.


End file.
